TY  - JOUR
A1  - Grimm, Martin
A1  - Gasser, Martin
A1  - Bueter, Marco
A1  - Strehl, Johanna
A1  - Wang, Johann
A1  - Nichiporuk, Ekaterina
A1  - Meyer, Detlef
A1  - Germer, Christoph T.
A1  - Waaga-Gasser, Ana M.
A1  - Thalheimer, Andreas
T1  - Evaluation of immunological escape mechanisms in a mouse model of colorectal liver metastases
N2  - Background: The local and systemic activation and regulation of the immune system by malignant cells during carcinogenesis is highly complex with involvement of the innate and acquired immune system. Despite the fact that malignant cells do have antigenic properties their immunogenic effects are minor suggesting tumor induced mechanisms to circumvent cancer immunosurveillance. The aim of this study is the analysis of tumor immune escape mechanisms in a colorectal liver metastases mouse model at different points in time during tumor growth. Methods: CT26.WT murine colon carcinoma cells were injected intraportally in Balb/c mice after median laparotomy using a standardized injection technique. Metastatic tumor growth in the liver was examined by standard histological procedures at defined points in time during metastatic growth. Liver tissue with metastases was additionally analyzed for cytokines, T cell markers and Fas/Fas-L expression using immunohistochemistry, immunofluorescence and RT-PCR. Comparisons were performed by analysis of variance or paired and unpaired t test when appropriate. Results: Intraportal injection of colon carcinoma cells resulted in a gradual and time dependent metastatic growth. T cells of regulatory phenotype (CD4+CD25+Foxp3+) which might play a role in protumoral immune response were found to infiltrate peritumoral tissue increasingly during carcinogenesis. Expression of cytokines IL-10, TGF-b and TNF-a were increased during tumor growth whereas IFN-g showed a decrease of the expression from day 10 on following an initial increase. Moreover, liver metastases of murine colon carcinoma show an up-regulation of FAS-L on tumor cell surface with a decreased expression of FAS from day 10 on. CD8+ T cells express FAS and show an increased rate of apoptosis at perimetastatic location. Conclusions: This study describes cellular and macromolecular changes contributing to immunological escape mechanisms during metastatic growth in a colorectal liver metastases mouse model simulating the situation in human cancer.
KW  - Krebs <Medizin>
KW  - colon carcinoma cells
KW  - carcinogenesis
KW  - human cancer
Y1  - 2010
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-67899
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Kim, Mia
A1  - Grimmig, Tanja
A1  - Grimm, Martin
A1  - Lazariotou, Maria
A1  - Meier, Eva
A1  - Rosenwald, Andreas
A1  - Tsaur, Igor
A1  - Blaheta, Roman
A1  - Heemann, Uwe
A1  - Germer, Christoph-Thomas
A1  - Waaga-Gasser, Ana Maria
A1  - Gasser, Martin
T1  - Expression of Foxp3 in Colorectal Cancer but Not in Treg Cells Correlates with Disease Progression in Patients with Colorectal Cancer
JF  - PLoS ONE
N2  - Background
Measles virus (MV) causes T cell suppression by interference with phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K) activation. We previously found that this interference affected the activity of splice regulatory proteins and a T cell inhibitory protein isoform was produced from an alternatively spliced pre-mRNA.

Hypothesis
Differentially regulated and alternatively splice variant transcripts accumulating in response to PI3K abrogation in T cells potentially encode proteins involved in T cell silencing.

Methods
To test this hypothesis at the cellular level, we performed a Human Exon 1.0 ST Array on RNAs isolated from T cells stimulated only or stimulated after PI3K inhibition. We developed a simple algorithm based on a splicing index to detect genes that undergo alternative splicing (AS) or are differentially regulated (RG) upon T cell suppression.

Results
Applying our algorithm to the data, 9% of the genes were assigned as AS, while only 3% were attributed to RG. Though there are overlaps, AS and RG genes differed with regard to functional regulation, and were found to be enriched in different functional groups. AS genes targeted extracellular matrix (ECM)-receptor interaction and focal adhesion pathways, while RG genes were mainly enriched in cytokine-receptor interaction and Jak-STAT. When combined, AS/RG dependent alterations targeted pathways essential for T cell receptor signaling, cytoskeletal dynamics and cell cycle entry.

Conclusions
PI3K abrogation interferes with key T cell activation processes through both differential expression and alternative splicing, which together actively contribute to T cell suppression.
KW  - T cells
KW  - gene regulation
KW  - alternative splicing
KW  - measles virus
KW  - T cell receptors
KW  - reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction
KW  - TCR signaling cascade
KW  - cell cycle and cell division
Y1  - 2013
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-130340
VL  - 8
IS  - 1
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - von Rahden, Burkhard H. A.
A1  - Kircher, Stefan
A1  - Lazariotou, Maria
A1  - Reiber, Christoph
A1  - Stuermer, Luisa
A1  - Otto, Christoph
A1  - Germer, Christoph T.
A1  - Grimm, Martin
T1  - LgR5 expression and cancer stem cell hypothesis: clue to define the true origin of esophageal adenocarcinomas with and without Barrett's Esophagus?
N2  - Background: Investigation of the expression of an intestinal stem cell marker in esophageal adenocarcinomas (EAC) with and without Barrett’s Esophagus (BE), with respect to a cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis. Materials and methods: Expression of a putative intestinal stem cell marker LgR5 was analyzed in esophageal cancer specimen (n = 70: 41 EAC with BE, 19 EAC without BE, and n = 10 esophageal squamous-cell carcinomas, ESCC) and in the adenocarcinoma cell line OE-33. Ki-67 and Cdx-2 were co-labelled with LgR5 in double staining experiments. Immunhistochemical expression results were confirmed by RT-PCR and correlated with tumor stage and five-year survival rates. Results: LgR5was found expressed in 35 of 41 (85%) EAC with BE and in 16 of 19 (81%) EAC without BE. By contrast, LgR5 was not found to be expressed in ESCC. Quantification of immunolabeling showed 15% LgR5+ cells in EAC with BE, 32% LgR5+ cells in adjacent BE and 13% in EAC without BE. Immunofluorescence double staining experiments with LgR5 and Ki-67 revealed a subpopulation (~5%) of proliferating LgR+/Ki-67+ cells. On mRNAlevel, expression of LgR5 was higher in BE in comparison to EAC (p = 0.0159). High levels of LgR5 expression in BE associated EAC were associated with poorer survival in univariate analysis. Conclusion: The stem cell marker LgR5 is expressed in EAC, irrespective of association with BE, and appears to have negative impact on survival. The subset of proliferating LgR5+ cells (<5%) might resemble rapidly cycling CSCs, which needs to be substantiated in further investigations.
KW  - Medizin
Y1  - 2011
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-68810
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Grimm, Martin
A1  - Lazariotou, Maria
A1  - Kircher, Stefan
A1  - Stuermer, Luisa
A1  - Reiber, Christoph
A1  - Hoefelmayr, Andreas
A1  - Gattenloehner, Stefan
A1  - Otto, Christoph
A1  - Germer, Christoph T.
A1  - von Rahden, Burkhard H. A.
T1  - MMP-1 is a (pre-)invasive factor in Barrett-associated esophageal adenocarcinomas and is associated with positive lymph node status
N2  - Background: Esophageal adenocarcinomas (EACs) arise due to gastroesophageal reflux, with Barrett’s esophagus (BE) regarded as precancerous lesion. Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) might play a role during the multistep carcinogenetic process. Methods: Expression of MMP-1 and -13 was analyzed in esophageal cancer (n = 41 EAC with BE, n = 19 EAC without BE, and n = 10 esophageal squamous-cell carcinomas, ESCC), furthermore in BE without intraepithelial neoplasia (IN) (n = 18), and the cell line OE-33. MMP-1 was co-labelled with Ki-67 (proliferation), Cdx-2 (marker for intestinal metaplasia, BE) and analyzed on mRNA level. MMP-1 staining results were correlated with clinicopatholocical parameters. Results: On protein level, MMP-1 expression was found in 39 of 41 (95%) EAC with BE, in 19 of 19 (100%) EAC without BE, in 6 of 10 (60%) ESCC, and in 10 of 18 (56%) BE without IN. No expression of MMP-13 was found in these specimens. Quantification showed 48% MMP-1 positive cells in EAC with BE, compared to 35% in adjacent BE (p < 0.05), 44% in EAC without BE, 32% in ESCC, and 4% in BE without IN. Immunofluorescence double staining experiments revealed increased MMP-1 expressing in proliferating cells (MMP-1+/Ki-67+) (r = 0.943 for BE and r = 0.811 for EAC). On mRNA-level, expression of MMP-1 was significantly higher in EAC compared to BE (p = 0.01) and confirmed immunohistochemical staining results. High MMP-1 levels were associated with lymph node metastases but not with poorer survival (p = 0.307). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that MMP-1 plays a role as preinvasive factor in BE-associated EAC. Expression of MMP-1 in proliferating BE and EAC cells suggest malignant proliferation following the clonal expansion model.
KW  - Medizin
Y1  - 2010
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-68293
ER  - 
TY  - THES
A1  - Grimm, Martin
T1  - Die Bedeutung der Expression des Tumornekrosefaktor-alpha bei Patienten mit kolorektalem Karzinom
T1  - Tumor Necrosis Factor-α expression in patients with colorectal cancer
N2  - Für Tumorprogression müssen entartete Zellen Wege finden, die immunologische Abwehr und die Apoptose zu umgehen. Tumorzellen haben dafür verschiedene, sogenannte Tumor-Escape-Mechanismen entwickelt. Gegenstand dieser Arbeit war in diesem Zusammenhang die Untersuchung des TNF-α-TNF-R1-Systems. Eine signifikante erhöhte TNF-α Protein- und Genexpression konnte in Gewebeproben kolorektaler Karzinome nachgewiesen werden, wobei eine mäßig starke Korrelation beider Analysemethoden ersichtlich war (т = 0.794). Sowohl die immunhistochemische Analyse als auch die Genexpression durch RT-PCR konnten mit Tumorprogression assoziiert werden. Mit erhöhter Expression des Apoptose-induzierenden Zytokins TNF-α durch Tumorzellen konnte darüber hinaus ein signifikant schlechteres Gesamtüberleben der Patienten mit KRK beobachtet werden. In unmittelbarer Umgebung TNF-α exprimierender Tumorzellen wurden zahlreiche TNF-R1+/CD8+ Zellen analysiert, die als Hinweis auf Apoptose in TILs angesehen werden können. Dieser Weg könnte als Tumor-Escape-Mechanismus verstanden werden. Die Verwendung potentieller TNF-α Biologicals (z.B. Etanercept, Infliximab) bleibt jedoch unter dem Aspekt einer geringfügig erhöhten Lymphominzidenz gegenüber der Normalbevölkerung auch als kritisch zu bewerten. Der Einsatz von Anti-TNF-α-Therapien stellt jedoch eine vielversprechende Option bei Patienten mit metastasiertem KRK und Tumorrezidiv dar. Zusammenfassend liefern die Ergebnisse dieser Arbeit zusätzlichen Einblick in die Regulationsmechanismen, die verantwortlich für die Immunsuppression durch kolorektale Karzinome sein können. Diese basiswissenschaftlichen Erkenntnisse stellen eine mögliche Grundlage neuer Behandlungsmöglichkeiten kolorektaler Karzinomen dar, die weiter erforscht werden sollten.
N2  - The progressive growth of malignancies is accompanied by a decline in the immune response through mechanisms which are poorly understood. Apoptosis and induction of inflammation by tumor released cytokines as tumor escape mechanisms have been proposed to play an important role in colorectal carcinogenesis. Expression of Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) was analyzed in colorectal cancer specimen by immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR. TNF-α expression on protein and mRNA level were correlated with clinical characteristics and impact on survival. TNFR-1 was co-labelled with TNF-α and CD8+ cytotoxic T cells in immunofluorescence double staining experiments. 94% of the patients with CRC expressed TNF-α. High TNF-α expression was significantly associated with positive lymph node stage and recurrence of the tumor. Multivariate analysis revealed high TNF-α expression as an independent prognostic factor. Immunohistochemistry was correlated with RT-PCR results (т = 0.794). Immunofluorescence double staining experiments revealed increased TNFR-1 expression by CD8+ cells. TNF-α expression by tumor cells may be an efficient immunological escape mechanism by inflammation-enhanced metastases and probably by induction of apoptosis in tumor-infiltrating CD8+ immune cells resulting in a down regulation of the tumoral immune response. Our data support the role of tumor-derived TNF-α expression as an important promoter of tumoral immune escape mechanisms and malignant progression. Targeting TNF-α (e.g. Etanercept, Infliximab) may be a promising option, especially in cases with high TNF-α expression and positive lymph node metastases.
KW  - Cancer
KW  - Tumor escape mechanism
KW  - death receptor signalling
KW  - apoptosis
KW  - inflammation
KW  - colorectal carcinoma
Y1  - 2010
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-52757
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - von Rahden, Burkhard H.A.
A1  - Kircher, Stefan
A1  - Lazariotou, Maria
A1  - Reiber, Christoph
A1  - Stuermer, Luisa
A1  - Otto, Christoph
A1  - Germer, Christoph T.
A1  - Grimm, Martin
T1  - LgR5 expression and cancer stem cell hypothesis: clue to define the true origin of esophageal adenocarcinomas with and without Barrett's Esophagus?
JF  - Journal of Experimental & Clinical Cancer Research
N2  - Background
Investigation of the expression of an intestinal stem cell marker in esophageal adenocarcinomas (EAC) with and without Barrett's Esophagus (BE), with respect to a cancer stem cell (CSC) hypothesis.

Materials and methods
Expression of a putative intestinal stem cell marker LgR5 was analyzed in esophageal cancer specimen (n = 70: 41 EAC with BE, 19 EAC without BE, and n = 10 esophageal squamous-cell carcinomas, ESCC) and in the adenocarcinoma cell line OE-33. Ki-67 and Cdx-2 were co-labelled with LgR5 in double staining experiments. Immunhistochemical expression results were confirmed by RT-PCR and correlated with tumor stage and five-year survival rates.

Results
LgR5was found expressed in 35 of 41 (85%) EAC with BE and in 16 of 19 (81%) EAC without BE. By contrast, LgR5 was not found to be expressed in ESCC. Quantification of immunolabeling showed 15% LgR5+ cells in EAC with BE, 32% LgR5+ cells in adjacent BE and 13% in EAC without BE. Immunofluorescence double staining experiments with LgR5 and Ki-67 revealed a subpopulation (~5%) of proliferating LgR+/Ki-67+ cells. On mRNA-level, expression of LgR5 was higher in BE in comparison to EAC (p = 0.0159). High levels of LgR5 expression in BE associated EAC were associated with poorer survival in univariate analysis.

Conclusion
The stem cell marker LgR5 is expressed in EAC, irrespective of association with BE, and appears to have negative impact on survival. The subset of proliferating LgR5+ cells (<5%) might resemble rapidly cycling CSCs, which needs to be substantiated in further investigations.
KW  - Barrett-Ösophagus
KW  - Krebs
Y1  - 2011
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-137783
VL  - 30
IS  - 23
ER  - 
TY  - THES
A1  - Grimm, Martin
T1  - Untersuchung regulatorischer T-Zellen bei Toleranzinduktion nach experimenteller Nierentransplantation unter Berücksichtigung co-stimulatorischer Signalwege
T1  - Regulatory functions of T cells in experimental kidney transplantation and the expression of co-stimulatory signals
N2  - Neuere klinische Patientenanalysen wie auch experimentelle Daten zeigen die dominierende Bedeutung der über den indirekten Weg der Allo-Erkennung entstehenden T-Zell-gebundenen Immunreaktionen für die chronische Transplantatabtoßung auf. Hierzu wurden etablierte Th1 und Th2 Zellklone aus Transplantaten abstoßender (Th1 Typ) und toleranter (Th2 Typ) Tiere charakterisiert. Hergestellt wurden die T-Zell-Klone durch Stimulation Transplantat-infiltrierender Zellen aus akut abgestoßenen (WF&#8594;LEW Empfänger) und tolerierten (CTLA4-Ig behandelte WF&#8594;LEW) Nieren mit immundominanten Spender-Klasse II MHC Allopeptiden (RT1.D&#956;&#946;20-44) präsentiert durch Empfänger-Antigen präsentierende Zellen. In dieser Arbeit haben wir das regulatorische Potential dieser T-Zell-Klone in einem etablierten Nieren-Transplantationsmodell (WF&#8594;LEW) analysiert. LEW-Empfänger wurden mit niedrig dosiertem Cyclosporin A behandelt. Während die WF-Nierentransplantate unbehandelter LEW Empfänger akut abgestoßen wurden, führte die alleinige Cyclosporin-Gabe zu einer Verlängerung des Transplantat-Überlebens. Alle Transplantate wurden chronisch abgestoßen (Glomerulosklerose, interstitielle Fibrose und Zellinfiltration); syngene Kontrollen blieben unbeeinflusst. Der zusätzliche Th2-Zell-Klon-Transfer verhinderte die Abstoßung. Spender-Hauttransplantate wurden spezifisch akzeptiert. Die Nierentransplantate dieser Tiere blieben voll funktionsfähig; die Proteinurie blieb im gesamten Beobachtungszeitraum minimal. Immunhistologische Analysen tolerierter Transplantate (Th2-Zell-Klon Behandlung) wiesen im Gegensatz zu abgestoßene Transplantate eine stärkere Expression von GATA-3 auf, sowie von T1/ST2 und Th2 typischen Zytokinen auf zusammen mit verstärkten Expression von CD4+CD25+ Zellen sowie durch einer verstärkte T-Zell-Signale (B7-1-/B7-2CTLA-4) gekennzeichnet. Tiere mit übertragene Th1-Zell-Klonen stießen ihre Transplantate dagegen beschleunigt ab. Zusammenfassend zeigen die Ergebnisse erstmals die Funktion alloreaktiver Th1 und Th2 T-Zell-Klone in einem allogenen Transplantationsmodell auf. Die Beobachtungen zeigen die pathogene Rolle von Th1-Zellen bei der Transplantatabstoßung und die regulierenden Eigenschaften von Th2-Zellen gegenüber Th1-Zellen in vivo anschaulich auf.
N2  - Current concepts suggest that indirect allorecognition mediates chronic rejection. In this study the characteristics and functions of Th1/Th2 clones generated from allografts of rejecting (Th1 type) and tolerant (Th2 type) animals were investigated. T cell clones were established by stimulating graft infiltrating cells of acutely rejected (WF&#8594;LEW recipients) and tolerant (CTLA4Ig treated WF&#8594;LEW recipients) kidneys with donor-derived immunodominant class II MHC allopeptide (RT1.Duß20-44) presented by recipient antigen-presenting cells (indirect allorecognition). Furthermore, we analyzed the in vivo functional/regulatory capacities of these T cell clones in an established WF&#8594;LEW kidney transplant model. Recipients were treated with low dose cyclosporine A. Unmodified LEW recipients acutely rejected WF renal allografts. Short-term cyclosporine therapy resulted in prolongation of graft survival but all grafts were ultimately rejected with evidence of progressive changes of chronic allograft nephropathy with vasculopathy, glomerulosclerosis, tubular atrophy, and interstitial mononuclear cell infiltration not apparent in the syngeneic controls which remained virtually normal. Adoptive transfer of Th2 cell clones prevented allograft rejection and induced tolerance proven by acceptance of donor specific skin in long-term surviving recipients. Renal allografts from these animals remained fully functioning; urine protein excretion remained virtually at baseline throughout the follow-up period. Enrichement of regulatory T cells producing Th2 type cytokines was observed immunohistologically in the target organ as well as intragraft staining of GATA-3 and T1/ST2. Double immunostaining in accepted grafts (Th2 injected) showed in contrast to rejected grafts (Th1 injected) activated T cells (CD4+CD25+) and upregulated signalling (B7-1-/B7-2- CTLA-4). In contrast, animals injected with the Th1 cell clones chronically rejected their allografts in an accelerated manner. In summary, in this study we provide the first description, to our knowledge, of the characteristics and function of Th1 and Th2 alloreactive T cell clones generated via the indirect pathway of allorecognition. Our observations indicate that Th1 cells may play a pathogenic role in allograft rejection, whereas Th2 cells may provide a protective role by regulating Th1-cell clones in vivo.
KW  - Regulatorische T-Zellen
KW  - T-Zell Klon
KW  - Toleranzinduktion
KW  - regulatory T-cells
KW  - T cell clone
KW  - induction of tolerance
Y1  - 2006
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-22040
ER  - 
TY  - JOUR
A1  - Gugel, Isabel
A1  - Grimm, Florian
A1  - Hartjen, Philip
A1  - Breun, Maria
A1  - Zipfel, Julian
A1  - Liebsch, Marina
A1  - Löwenheim, Hubert
A1  - Ernemann, Ulrike
A1  - Kluwe, Lan
A1  - Mautner, Victor-Felix
A1  - Tatagiba, Marcos
A1  - Schuhmann, Martin Ulrich
T1  - Risk stratification for immediate postoperative hearing loss by preoperative BAER (brainstem auditory evoked response) and audiometry in NF2-associated vestibular schwannomas
JF  - Cancers
N2  - Both brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEP) and audiometry play a crucial role in neuro-oncological treatment decisions in Neurofibromatosis Type 2 associated (NF2) vestibular schwannoma (VS) as hearing preservation is the major goal. In this study, we investigated the risk of immediate postoperative hearing deterioration (>15 dB and/or 15% loss in pure-tone average [PTA]/ speech discrimination score [SDS] in a cohort of 100 operated VS (ears) in 72 NF2 patients by retrospective analysis of pre- and postoperative hearing data (PTA, SDS, American Association of Otolaryngology–Head and Neck Surgery [AAO-HNS], and brainstem auditory evoked potential [BAEP] class) taking into account relevant influencing factors, particularly preoperative audiometry and BAEP status and the extent of resection. Immediately after surgery, the hearing was preserved in 73% of ears and approximately ~60% of ears kept their hearing classes. Preoperative BAEP (p = 0.015) and resection amount (p = 0.048) significantly influenced postoperative hearing outcome. The prediction model for postoperative hearing deterioration/loss between preoperative BAEP and AAO-HNS class showed increased risk by increasing BAEP class. Twenty-one tumors/ears were identified with large BAEP and AAO-HNS class discrepancies (≥2 points) and were associated with a high (48–100%) risk of deafness after surgery in ears with preoperative available hearing. Overall, the results were heterogeneous but the better both BAEP and audiometry class before surgery, the higher the chance of hearing maintenance afterwards. Large resection amounts (e.g., 100% risk in near-total resections) exhibit a significant (p < 0.05) higher risk compared to smaller amounts (e.g., 10/20% in laser-coagulated/partially resected tumors). Our results emphasized the indispensable role of both hearing monitoring in form of audiometry and neurophysiology (BAEP) in the pre-and perioperative monitoring of NF2-associated VS. Both BAEP and audiometry are good prognostic markers for the postoperative hearing outcome. The extent of resection should be strictly guided by and adjusted to the intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring.
KW  - hearing preservation
KW  - neurofibromatosis type 2
KW  - vestibular schwannoma
KW  - audiometry
KW  - brainstem auditory evoked potentials
Y1  - 2021
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-234165
SN  - 2072-6694
VL  - 13
IS  - 6
ER  - 
TY  - THES
A1  - Grimm, Philipp Martin
T1  - Locally driven complex plasmonic nanoantenna systems
T1  - Lokal angetriebene komplexe plasmonische Nanoantennen-Systeme
N2  - Metallic nanostructures possess the ability to support resonances in the visible wavelength regime which are related to localized surface plasmons. These create highly enhanced electric fields in the immediate vicinity of metal surfaces. Nanoparticles with dipolar resonance also radiate efficiently into the far-field and hence serve as antennas for light. Such optical antennas have been explored during the last two decades, however, mainly as standalone units illuminated by external laser beams and more recently as electrically driven point sources, yet merely with basic antenna properties. This work advances the state of the art of locally driven optical antenna systems. As a first instance, the electric driving scheme including inelastic electron tunneling over a nanometer gap is merged with Yagi-Uda theory. The resulting antenna system consists of a suitably wired feed antenna, incorporating a tunnel junction, as well as several nearby parasitic elements whose geometry is optimized using analytical and numerical methods. Experimental evidence of unprecedented directionality of light emission from a nanoantenna is provided. Parallels in the performance between radiofrequency and optical Yagi-Uda arrays are drawn. Secondly, a pair of electrically connected antennas with dissimilar resonances is harnessed as electrodes in an organic light emitting nanodiode prototype. The organic material zinc phthalocyanine, exhibiting asymmetric injection barriers for electrons and holes, in conjunction with the electrode resonances, allows switching and controlling the emitted peak wavelength and directionality as the polarity of the applied voltage is inverted. In a final study, the near-field based transmission-line driving of rod antenna systems is thoroughly explored. Perfect impedance matching, corresponding to zero back-reflection, is achieved when the antenna acts as a generalized coherent perfect absorber at a specific frequency. It thus collects all guided, surface-plasmon mediated input power and transduces it to other nonradiative and radiative dissipation channels. The coherent interplay of losses and interference effects turns out to be of paramount importance for this delicate scenario, which is systematically obtained for various antenna resonances. By means of the here developed semi-analytical toolbox, even more complex nanorod chains, supporting topologically nontrivial localized edge states, are studied. The results presented in this work facilitate the design of complex locally driven antenna systems for optical wireless on-chip communication, subwavelength pixels, and loss-compensated integrated plasmonic nanocircuitry which extends to the realm of topological plasmonics.
N2  - Metallische Nanostrukturen besitzen die Fähigkeit, Resonanzen im sichtbaren Wellenlängenbereich zu unterstützen, die mit lokalisierten Oberflächenplasmonen in Verbindung stehen. Diese erzeugen hochverstärkte elektrische Felder in der unmittelbaren Nähe von Metalloberflächen. Nanopartikel mit dipolarer Resonanz strahlen zudem effizient in das Fernfeld ab und dienen somit als Antennen für Licht. Solche optischen Antennen wurden in den letzten zwei Jahrzehnten erforscht, allerdings hauptsächlich als eigenständige Einheiten, welche von externen Laserstrahlen angeregt werden, und in jüngerer Zeit als elektrisch getriebene Punktquellen, die jedoch lediglich über grundlegende Antenneneigenschaften verfügen. Diese Arbeit erweitert den aktuellen Stand von lokal getriebenen optischen Antennensystemen. In einem ersten Fallbeispiel wird das elektrische Antriebsschema einschließlich inelastischem Elektronentunneln über einen Nanometer-Spalt mit der Yagi-Uda-Theorie zusammengeführt. Das resultierende Antennensystem besteht aus einer passend verdrahteten, gespeisten Antenne, die einen Tunnelübergang enthält, sowie mehreren nahe gelegenen parasitären Elementen, deren Geometrie mit analytischen und numerischen Methoden optimiert wird. Experimentelle Befunde für eine ungeahnte Direktionalität der Lichtemission von einer Nanoantenne werden erbracht. Es werden Parallelen im Leistungsverhalten zwischen Radiofrequenz- und optischen Yagi-Uda-Anordnungen gezogen. Als zweites wird ein Paar elektrisch kontaktierter Antennen mit unterschiedlichen Resonanzen als Elektroden in einem Prototyp einer organischen lichtemittierenden nanoskaligen Diode eingesetzt. Das organische Material Zinkphthalocyanin, welches asymmetrische Injektionsbarrieren für Elektronen und Löcher aufweist, ermöglicht in Verbindung mit den Elektrodenresonanzen die Schaltbarkeit und Kontrolle der emittierten Wellenlänge und der Direktionalität bei Umkehr der Polarität der angelegten Spannung. In einer abschließenden Studie wird der nahfeldbasierte Antrieb von stäbchenförmigen Antennsystemen mittels eines Wellenleiters detailliert untersucht. Perfekte Impedanzanpassung, entsprechend einer verschwindenden Rückreflexion, wird erreicht, wenn die Antenne bei einer spezifischen Frequenz als verallgemeinerter kohärenter perfekter Absorber agiert. Hierbei nimmt sie die gesamte wellenleitergeführte Eingangsleistung, vermittelt durch ein Oberflächenplasmon, auf, und überträgt sie auf andere nichtstrahlende und strahlende Dissipationskanäle. Das kohärente Zusammenspiel von Verlusten und Interferenzeffekten erweist sich für dieses empfindliche Szenario, das systematisch für verschiedene Antennenmoden erzeugt wird, als äußerst wichtig. Mit Hilfe des hier entwickelten semi-analytischen Werkzeugsets werden auch komplexere Ketten aus Nanostäbchen untersucht, bei denen topologisch nichttriviale lokalisierte Randzustände auftreten. Die in dieser Arbeit vorgestellten Ergebnisse erleichtern die Entwicklung komplexer lokal angetriebener Antennensysteme für optische drahtlose Kommunikation auf einem Computerchip, Subwellenlängenpixel und verlustkompensierte integrierte plasmonische Nanoschaltkreise, welche sich bis auf das Gebiet der topologischen Plasmonik erstrecken.
KW  - Plasmonik
KW  - Nanooptik
KW  - Nanophotonik
KW  - Finite-Differenzen-Methode
KW  - OLED
KW  - Optical antenna
KW  - Directional emission
KW  - Zinc phthalocyanine
KW  - Coherent perfect absorption
KW  - Su-Schrieffer-Heeger chain
KW  - Optische Antenne
KW  - Gerichtete Abstrahlung
KW  - Zinkphthalocyanin
KW  - Kohärente perfekte Absorption
KW  - Su-Schrieffer-Heeger-Kette
Y1  - 2023
U6  - http://nbn-resolving.de/urn/resolver.pl?urn:nbn:de:bvb:20-opus-303152
ER  -